For some ingredients, I do a little happy dance every time we empty a container and put it to rest. White flour, please, I do not need you. Pasta, I loved you once before, but not now. Some ingredients just do not need to be replenished and those we celebrate empty containers!

Other foods have become staples. If we run out, I feel a bit antsy.

On the weekend, I inadvertently finished the last of our tamarind concentrate while making this salad. I also realized that we are awfully low on chickpea flour, due to Rob’s (healthy) weekend obsession with Besan Chilla. We also have no nondairy milk left.

These ingredients can be a challenge to find at reasonable prices, so I feel compelled to restock my pantry before we move. I know, terrible idea. We have hired movers, so it couldn’t be too bad, right? Actually, with my collection of beans and cookbooks, I am slightly worried that the 2 movers won’t be enough. Anyhow, before we move, I plan on fortifying our stocks. We will have tamarind and chickpea flour once again.😉

Now about this salad: It is a light yet hearty Indian-spiced chickpea salad from 1000 Indian Recipes that I first spotted on Lisa’s blog. Her high praise for 1000 Indian Recipes was one reason I picked it up, despite my embargo on new cookbooks. Lisa described this as a great salad for those not used to fiery hot dishes, which sounded right up my alley. Here, the chickpeas are mixed with sweet and creamy mangoes, sweet and sour tamarind, and tart and sweet pomegranate arils doused in a savoury dressing with ginger, tamarind and chaat masala. Cilantro, used both cooked and fresh, adds a brightness to the dish.

It was refreshing to break free of my typical Indian curries and savour such a nicely balanced salad.

1. Mix together the chickpeas, mango, cucumber, scallions, half of the cilantro and 1/2 tsp of the chaat masala.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic, ginger, green chiles, stirring until golden, around 1 minute. Add the ground coriander, the remaining 1.5 tsp chaat masala, the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro and stir for about 30 seconds.

3. Add the chickpeas, water, tamarind and amchoor, and cook, stirring as necessary until the juices have partly evaporated, around 3-5 minutes. You don’t want to evaporate too much because this will become your dressing.

4. Remove the chickpea mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Once cooled, gently toss with the mango mixture. Gently stir in half of the pomegranate arils. Sprinkle the remaining pomegranate seeds overtop. Serve at warm, room temperature or chilled.

I really need to hit my Indian grocery store. This just sounds fantastic! But I’m surprised and impressed that you’re able to get fresh pomegranates this time of year. That might need to be substituted!

are we on a mango and chaat masala roll! i can sprinkle chaat masala on any salad and munch on it:) one of those utterly addictive mixes! and dont even get me started on mangoes. i miss the 10 different varieties we would eat all summer back home!

I hear there are like 125 different types of mangoes in India, alone. Craziness!!! I think we would be heaven if we had a mango tree in our backyard… I just don’t think I’d be able to live through the heat.😉

I love the sounds of this salad, and I also like that you could eat it warm or cold and I’m sure it would be good both ways. I brought some chat masala back with me from India….I like to use it in chickpea salads mixed with chutneys, or sprinkled on fruit salads. I also just bought some tamarind paste that I’ve been wanting to use, so this recipe is definitely on my list of things to make!

Pomegranate molasses and tamarind concentrate are two things that I get antsy about running low on because they’re not SUPER easy to find. And they are MAJORLY delicious. I am LOVING this salad! I’ve been meaning to pick up that cookbook…sigh. Another to add to the amazon wishlist.

Chickpeas are an absolute must in my pantry, when I’m out it almost makes me want to shed a little tear.
I love the flavor combinations of this salad, warm chickpea salad is a staple for me but I’ve never attempted an Indian inspired one. It looks incredibly delicious!

[…] recipes on Lisa’s blog. I haven’t made as many of her recipes other than a delicious Warm Chickpea Salad with Mango, Pomegranate and Chaat Masala. However, when I start bookmarking her recipes, I just cannot […]